Engine



Jan. 16, 1934.

A. J. MEYER ENGINE Filed Jan. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

A. J. MEYER Jan. 16, 1934.

ENGINE Filed Jan. 8. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. cfMgafi ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 16, 1934 STATES ENGINE Andre J. Meyer, Detroit, Mich.,assignor to Continental Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Virginia Application January 8, 1932.

Serial No. 585,531

8 Claims. (01. 123-81) My invention relates to internal combustion.

engines of the sleeve valve type and more particularly tocounterbalancing means for opposing the unbalanced rocking couples setup by the sleeve motion. 7 I

For purposes of illustration I have shown a sleeve valve engine of theBurt-McCollum .type wherein a single sleeve per cylinder is moved withcombined reciprocation and oscillation, in controlling the engine intakeand exhaust.

A study of the inertia forces of the sleeve) motion in a single sleevevalve engine has revealed that these forces can be suitably analyzedinto vertical and rotational components. It has been found that inmulti-cylinder engines, where the engine timing is spaced at equal timeintervals, that the rotational components are in complete balance.However, with regard to the vertical components, a harmonic analysisshows that the unbalanced forces of one cylinder consist of an-infiniteseries of components, each of which varies as a sine waves The analysisis given by the following formula:

wherein F is thetotal unbalanced vertical force; o is valve shaft angle;A, B, C, etc., are constants.

It has been further found that the constants (or coefficients) A and Bare the only ones which for practical purposes have to be taken intoconsideration since all other constants are very small, therefore theunbalanced force per cylinder may be closely approximated by As will beclear to anyone familiar with an analysis of this sort, the shakingforce for a multi-cylincler engine, where the timing of the sleeve comesat equal time intervals, will be zero. .I-Iowever, the unbalanced forcesof all cylinders will give rise to a primary and secondary rockingcouple acting in the engine longitudinal plane containing the cylinderaxes which may be represented by the following formula:

P(primary couple) =D cos (qS-i-a) S(secondary couple) :E cos (2+,8) onand [3 are phase angles and D' and E are constants.

A guided plunger, associated with the engine valve shaft and driventherefrom by an eccentric substantially constructed and arranged asshown in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, will be found toproduce an inertia force which may be closely approximated by theformula:

By selecting the proper degree of eccentricity, length of eccentricstrap, and weight of plunger, it has been found possible to create arocking couple equal and opposite to P and S thereby bringing the engineinto substantially complete balance.

It is the object of my invention to provide a construction wherein amaximum of balance is obtained by incorporating suitable meansassociated with the engine valveshaft for opposing the rocking coupleproduced in the engine during the operation thereof.

For a more detailed understandingof. my invention, reference. may be hadto the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form which myinvention may assume, .and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional .view through a typicalenginecylinder and showing a balanced valveshaft constructed inaccordance with my invention, a

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the valve shaft 7 and balancing means,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof showing the balancing means inrelation with a counterweight secured to the driving pulley carried bysaid valveshaft and taken substantially on the line 50 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the other end of the valveshaft takenon the line 4.-4 of Fig. 2.

In, the accompanying drawings 10 designates the crankcase of a singlesleeve valve engine A, said crankcase being provided with a plurality ofcylinders 11 and a plurality of cylinder heads 12, each cooperativelyassociated with an engine cylinder and each having a portion 13depending within the cylinder and spaced from the Walls thereof toprovide a sleeve pocket 14 for ;accommodating the upper, portion of asingle sleeve 15. The sleeve valve.15 is constructed for operationwithin an engine cylinder and is provided with suitable intake andexhaust ports 16 and 17 adapted for cooperative association with thecylinder intake and exhaust ports 18 and 19. respectively. An enginecrankshaft 20 is supported by suitable bearings 21 in the crankcase andis provided with crankportions 22 to which the connecting rods 23 may beconnected, these connecting rods each being associated with a piston 24operating within the sleeve valve15.

The sleeve valve '15 is operated by any suitable mechanism, and in theillustrated embodiment of my invention I have provided a wobblevalveshaft 25 having a plurality of wobble cranks 26, each of thesewobble cranks being connected with the respective sleeve valves by meansof the connecting links or arms 27, the outer portion of ing portions31.

said arms or links being provided with a ball socket 28 adapted forcooperative engagement with the ball 29 carried by the sleeve valve 15.The wobble valveshaft is provided with intermediate bearing portions 30and the end bearing portions 31, these bearing portions adapted forcooperative association with bearings 32 carried by the crankcase, Fig.1 illustrating one of said bearings 32 which is adapted to support oneof the end bearing portions 31 of the valveshaft.

In order to provide means for opposing the rocking couple developed inthe engine by centrifugal or rotating forces I have preferably providedcounterweights which are secured to the valve shaft. Due to the factthat a valve shaft of this character does not permit the location of anycounterweights intermediate the end bearings without unnecessarilylengthening the engine block, I have preferably constructed thecounterweights and 41 in such a way as to secure the same respectivelyto the front and rear ends of the valveshaft beyond the end bear- I findit convenient to secure the counterweight 40 at the front end of thevalveshaft to a pulley or driving element i2, this driving element beingsecured to the valveshaft in any suitable manner and operativelyconnected to the engine crankshaft by a chain or other suitable drivingconnections 44. The counterweight 41 is angularly spaced about saidvalve shaft 180 With respect to the counterweight 40 and is located atthe opposite end of the valveshaft, this counterweight 41 being securedto the valveshaft in any suitable manner. The construction hereinillustrated provides an engine in which a rocking couple set up by therotating forces is eliminated, this means including counterweightssecured to the valveshaft ends, said counterweights acting to oppose therocking couple-set up by the sleeve motion and to partially counteractthe said rocking couple.

In order to completely counteract the primary and secondary rockingcouples set up by the sleeve motion, I have provided the guided plungertype of balancing devices for opposing said couples whereby the engineis brought into substantially perfect balance.

In the present embodiment of my invention as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, the valve shaft 25 is provided with eccentricsspaced axially of the valve shaft. Each of these eccentrics actuates aplunger 51 by reason of the eccentric strap 52, and each plunger isguided in a well or other suitable recess 53 preferably carried by thecrankcase 10. These eccentrics are arranged in such a way as to causethe plungers to reciprocate oppositely to each other. Preferably theguides 53 are located below the valve shaft but the specific location ofthese guides is not essential as long as the motion of the plungersoppose one another.

With the construction herein illustrated it will be noted that I haveprovided an engine which may be operated very smoothly and efficientlywith a minimum of objectionable vibration. Furthermore, I have providedan engine of improved operating characteristics by providing meansassociated with the valve shaft for counteracting the unbalanced rockingcouples set up in said engine in a manner which provides a constructionwhich will not unnecessarily lengthen the engine block and which canbereadily assembled with the valve shaft with a minimum of time and labor.

The balancing of these rocking couples caused by the rotating andreciprocating forces has become of major importance with the advent ofhigh speed engines. The construction developed by applicant has beenlargely responsible for the success of engines of the aforesaid type asthe incorporation of these balancing devices has eliminatedobjectionable vibration caused by unbalanced rocking couples.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my inventionpertains that various modifications and changes may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valvemeans operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valve shaftextending longitudinally of the engine, means operatively connecting thevalveshaft and respective sleeve valve means for actuating same, saidsleeve valve and operating connections producing rocking couples in theengine, counterweights carried by said valveshaft for opposing therocking couples set up by centrifugal forces and oppositely movingmasses for counteracting rocking couples set up by reciprocating forces.

2. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valvemeans operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valve shaft 7extending longitudinally of the engine, means operatively connecting thevalveshaft and respective sleeve valve means for actuating same, saidsleeve valve means and operating connections producing a rocking couplein the engine, and means including reciprocating weights operativelyconnected with said valveshaft for opposing said rocking couple.

3. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valvemeans operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valveshaftextending longitudinally of the engine and provided with crank portions,means operatively connecting said crank portions and respective sleevevalve means for actuating the same, said sleeve valve means andoperating connections producing an unbalanced rocking couple in theengine, and means including reciprocating weights operatively connectedwith said valveshaft adjacent the ends thereof and actuated to producean opposing rocking couple for counteracting said unbalanced rockingcouple produced by the sleeve motion and said operating connections.

4. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valvemeans operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valveshaftextending longitudinally of the engine and provided with crank portionsand end bearing portions, means operatively connecting said crankportions and respective sleeve valve means for actuating the same, saidsleeve valve means and operating connections producing a rocking couplein the engine, means including reciprocating weights operativelyconnected with said valveshaft adjacent the ends thereof, said meansconstructed and arranged for counteracting said rocking couple, andmeans for guiding said reciprocating weights.

5. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valvemeans operably associated with each of said cylinders, a wobblevalveshaft extending longitudinally of the engine and provided withcrank portions, means operatively connecting said crank portions andrespective sleeve valve means for actuating same, said sleeve valvemeans and operating connections producing a rocking couple in theengine, a pair of eccentrics on said valveshaft and having opposedeccentricities, reciprocating weights actuated by said eccentrics andconstructed and arranged to produce a rocking couple for opposing saidfirst rocking couple, and means for guiding said weights. 7

g 6. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valvemeans operably associated with each of said cylinders, a wobblevalveshaft extending longitudinally of the engine and provided withcrank portions, means operatively connecting said crank portions andrespective sleeve valve means for actuating same, said sleeve valvemeans and operating connections producing a rocking couple in theengine, a pair of eccentrics on said valveshaft constructed and arrangedwith opposing eccentricities, counterbalancing members associatedtherewith, operating connections including an eccentric strap adaptedfor operative engagement with said eccentrics, and means for guidingsaid members for reciprocating motion whereby to produce an opposingrocking couple for substantially counteracting the first said rockingcouple.

'7. In an internal combustion engine of the type having a plurality ofcylinders substantially aligned longitudinally of the engine, sleevevalve means associated with said cylinders, means including a layshaftdriven from the engine for operating said sleeve valve means axially ofsaid cylinders whereby a rocking couple is produced in the enginelongitudinally thereof, and means actuated in timed relation with saidlayshaft for producing an opposing rocking couple in the engine, saidsecond means including an element separate from the layshaft.

8. In an internal combustion engine of the type having a plurality ofcylinders substantially aligned longitudinally of the engine, sleevevalve means associated with said cylinders, means including a layshaftdriven from the engine for operating said sleeve valve means axially ofsaid cylinders whereby a rocking couple is produced in the enginelongitudinally thereof, and means actuated in timed relation with saidlayshaft for producing an opposing rocking couple in the engine, saidsecond means including an element separate from the layshaft, and meansfor driving said layshaft and said actuating means from the engine.

ANDRE J. MEYER.

